Necratoholic Vol. #01

What They SaySakuya used to be a fearsome high rank vampire before he fell in love with Atsumi. Now he's fallen so low that he can't even drink other people's blood because only Atsumi's blood suits his taste. The problem is, Atsumi is not only a guy, but also a vampire hunter... Their love is more than just complicated, it's a game of life and death for them both!

The ReviewPretty vampires have a certain appeal...

Packaging:

This book has DMP's standard large trim size and full color dust jacket. The print quality is very nice, with sharp lines and dark blacks, while the paper quality is better than most. I have no complaint on the packaging front when it comes to DMP's books.

Art:

Wasabi's art is fairly unique, although quite attractive overall. Her character designs are refreshingly distinct, so there's little chance of confusing one character with another. She makes excellent use of creative layouts, negative space, and simpler linework-only styles contrasted against darker, more finished pieces. The chapter headings especially have some gorgeously detailed pieces that show her art off nicely.

Text/SFX:

All sound effects are subtitled on the page in a font similar to the original. The translation flowed relatively smoothly with few rough points.

Contents (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):

Dhampirs are half-human, half-vampire beings, marked by a distinctive crest on their tongues, who are destined to become vampire hunters. They're forbidden, however, from having sex with any vampire. When Sakuya, a high-ranking vampire, is caught and violated by the dhampir Atsumi, his appetite for blood and other pleasures dries up, leaving only an obsession with catching Atsumi in its place.

Imagine his surprise when Atsumi waltzes right into the hotel that Sakuya calls home with all his dhampir powers gone and apologizing for vanishing like he had. Sakuya doesn't quite know how to take this development, but is determined to kill the hunter and become a proper vampire again. Nothing works out quite like he planned, though, and the two enter into a bizzare hunter-hunted relationship - or so they claim. It seems like Sakuya just can't admit - even to himself - that what he's feeling is really love.

The path to true love and proper bloodsucking isn't smooth, however, and Atsumi's frequent disappearances make things even more difficult. When he shows up again in the hotel with the attractive - and young - Bran Van Hellsing, acting like Sakuya means nothing, will either of them survive Sakuya's jealous rage?

CommentsWhile pretty, the story makes the fatal mistake of taking itself too seriously towards the end, throwing in some half-baked plot elements that make little sense and distract from the story itself. Sakuya's transformation, the formula to remove the crest from Atsumi's tongue, the dhampir's healing abilities - so many elements towards the last half of the book felt tacked on in a futile attempt to make the story something it wasn't, and left the story feeling bogged down and nonsensical. Prior to that, however, there was a lot to love as the random humor and the love/hate relationship between Sakuya and Atsumi were very well done. What's not to love in a relationship between a vampire/S&M queen and a former vampire hunter turned insurance adjuster?

Vampire fans, those looking for some light S&M, and anyone who likes a dash of humor in their BL will all find something to enjoy here - just don't expect too much.